Teaching Tip Tuesdays

I miss teaching soooooo much, so I thought I'd share a few of my "tips of the trade". Maybe I'll do this every week, maybe not... :)

Grading Slips

I have always had issues with grade books and grading in general. While searching online one day, I came across a GREAT website! Class with Sanders This is where I got the phenomenal idea for my grading slips!

Grading slips are a class roster/grade book for EACH assignment. There is a place for the title of the assignment, what type of assignment, and grades (and other stuff). You have a template for each class. Every time the class turns in an assignment, you staple a grading slip to the top. You grade each assignment and write the grade on the slip. The roster can be in any order you like, but i prefer alphabetical by last name because that's how most grading programs are. I give my students "numbers" and they write them in the top right hand corner of their papers. When I grade, I just look at that number and it coincides with the number on the grading slip. (Also...their names are under the staple...so it helps a little from me being biased....hey...you know we all do it sometimes).

When it's time for assignments to be turned in, I have one student ( a reliable one...or someone who needs to feel special) put the papers in numerical order. They hand it to me with a sticky telling me which numbers are missing. I staple the grading sheet to the top & quickly ask those kids who didn't turn the assignment in where it is. This made it all SOOO worthwhile!!! Instant knowledge of where the late assignments were!!

For each class I have a manila folder for each 6 weeks (1st Period 1st 6 weeks...so on). I group the "like" grading slips together and staple them on top of each other when I'm done grading (along with me using a highlighter to put a check mark over the slip when I've inputted it). I usually have these groups:

1. Daily Journals 2. Homework 3. Tests 4. Projects 5. Classwork

When I have parent conferences, it's easy to take that class's folder with me, rather than a grade book. The grading slip also has a space for comments. This is where I write, "Late", "Excellent", "tardy"...whatever...

I also have a color system. If they were absent that day, I highlight yellow. If they didn't turn it in, orange. If it's late, I write "late" in red next to it (it was already highlighted orange).

Here you can see examples and Mrs. Sander's explanation of the grading slip!! My friend Jen & I use these and they have made our life so simple!